Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether it is Government policy to phase out coal.

Coal accounted for 39% of total UK electricity generation in 2012, falling to 30% in 2014. This trend is expected to continue and the Department’s published forecasts suggest that, in our central scenario, the last unabated UK coal fired power station will close in 2026.

However, if market conditions are right, there is a possibility that coal could continue to produce electricity until the late 2020s.

Source: DECC Updated energy and emissions projections 2014 https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/368021/Updated_energy_and_emissions_projections2014.pdf